I am so immensely sad to be posting this,its taken me days to build up to it....my beautiful comrade in arms Tim McCall has died while i have been away,he was only 37,just had a baby with his partner a few weeks ago,and was enjoying fullfilling his dreams playing with Jarvis.I have known Tim closely for over 20 years.I am so so heart broken words fail me,i only spoke to him the day before i left on this tour and we talked about having one of our jam session nights and having tea with our kids and wives when i got back and of course him coming along with me walking my dog which we both loved,that time together was always special where we would talk about guitars,music,beer,scooters,cycling(his other major life passion)but mainly just spend the time making each other laugh........both of us trying to outdo each other by making the other one laugh more,he would always have me in fits he was so quick witted.........This is so hard for me to type,Tim was such a lovely person,really gentle,funny as fuck and massively talented,in fact one of the best guitar players ever to come out of Britain never mind Sheffield.He was so humble about his talent and never bragged even though he could out play any guitar player i ever knew and would NEVER shoot his mouth off about his ability.
When musicians work as closely as we did there is a silent bond you make,mine and Tim's bond was immediate,deeply felt and lifelong........Tim went out with my sister,he was loved by all my family,when my Dad was dying he was one of the few who was welcomed with open arms by my Dad,they would sit for hours talking about guitars and music,he would make the effort to see my kids and make them laugh and always had time for my wife Helen.I loved him so much i will miss him for the rest of my life,i feel so bleak its awful,i cannot believe its happened.I went out with him only a few days before the tour started,i will have only positive thoughts about Tim i have NO bad memories of him whatsoever he was my brother i can't say much more now its too painful.
My heart goes out to his partner and his little baby girl as well as his family he was very much loved.we are all totally devesated.it was a small thing to do but me and the lads played Little wing for him the day after he passed away,i always think of that song when i think of him,we worked it out together at the kitchen table in Hawley st,i can't think of anything more tragic that has happened in my life.He was so young and had so so much more to give.

You sound heartbroken Richard - such sad and
tragic news - can only imagine how you all must be feeling - sounds like you have some beautiful memories of Tim. This world can be so very cruel sometimes.

I think I can say that all our thoughts are with you and with Tim's family. I didn't know him, but to hear of such a young man passing, with a baby daughter only just born, is just tragic and heartbreaking. My sincere condolences to you all.

Like some others on the Forum I didn't know Tim personally but the testimonies posted here and elsewhere clearly describe a popular friend and talented musician. It is a tragic loss of life for someone with so much to live for and whilst it is extremely sad for those who knew him my thoughts and prayers are with his wife and baby.

_________________Woke this morning and I got myself a beer ............

well i was keeping my thoughts to myself, but richard's comment that tim's family had seen this thread prompted me to write.

i feel lucky that richard introduced me to tim, someone i could tell straight away was one of his closest friends, at an elbow gig in manchester. we hung around together after the gig for a good while, having a natter about this and that, and we got along so well we swapped phone numbers at the end of the night. when i told my gal hazel how the night went, she remembered the other day that i said straightaway, i'd met this really nice guy, tim.

we saw him play with jarvis and i could see just how good he was. strong, clear, textured, considered, surefooted..... all the things you want and strive for.

me and hazel met him a few other times too, and he was a pleasure to be with. such a nice and genuine man. at the albert hall show he spent a good while talking to hazel after the gig about their shared passion for northern soul. he didn't know her at the time, and there were plenty of interesting people backstage by then, but he wasn't arsed; happy to enjoy their shared interest. the kind words he said about the gig were, frankly, poetic. i was touched.

we saw tim again at a jarvis gig in manchester that he'd asked us to. he was so welcoming, and pleased to see us. he played even better than the last time we saw him. like richard said, he was modest about his talent. he was an exceptional player. i know enough guitar players, i can tell.

i was looking forward to getting to see him again next time he was over here. or running into him in sheffield. i remember seeing him wearing a class harrington jacket and thinking, i must get one, then realising it looks better on him than it will on me.